Skip to main content
Publications | Persons | Institutes | Projects
[ report an error in this record ]basket (0): add | show Print this page

Changes in atmospheric circulation over the North Atlantic and sea surge variations along the Belgian coast during the 20th century
Ullmann, A.; Monbaliu, J. (2010). Changes in atmospheric circulation over the North Atlantic and sea surge variations along the Belgian coast during the 20th century. Int. J. Climatol. 30(4): 558-568. dx.doi.org/10.1002/joc.1904
In: International Journal of Climatology. Wiley: Chichester; New York. ISSN 0899-8418; e-ISSN 1097-0088, more
Peer reviewed article  

Available in  Authors 

Keywords
    Properties > Physical properties > Pressure > Atmospheric pressure > Sea level pressure
    Surge
    ANE, Belgium, Belgian Coast [Marine Regions]
Author keywords
    sea surge; sea-level pressure; weather regime; North Sea; Belgian coast

Authors  Top 

Abstract
    Wintertime (October-to-March period) 99th percentile of sea level (sea surges) at Ostend has increased at a rate of +3 mm/year (+1 mm/year) from 1925 to 2000. Relationships between daily sea surge at Ostend and five weather regimes – Zonal (ZO), East Atlantic (EA), Greenland Above (GA), Blocking (BL), and Atlantic Ridge (AR) – over the northeast Atlantic and Europe (40 °W–40 °E, 30°–70 °N) are analysed during the period of 1925–2000. More than 70% of sea surges =65 cm occur during the AR weather regime, ahead of low pressure travelling on a northern track from Iceland to Scandinavia. The relationships between monthly/wintertime frequency of the AR weather regime and 99th percentile of sea surge at Ostend tend to strengthen during the twentieth century: for example, correlation between wintertime frequencies of AR and 99th percentile of sea surge increases from 0.21 in 1925–1950 to 0.74 in 1975–2000. This increase is associated with the pressure rise over the near Atlantic, between (30 °W and 15 °W), (30 °N and 50 °N), leading to an increase in the frequency of strong surge-related pressure gradient during AR days.

All data in the Integrated Marine Information System (IMIS) is subject to the VLIZ privacy policy Top | Authors